Chicago to be included among U.S. cities in AT&T's new Smart Cities Framework

Chicago to be included among U.S. cities in AT&T's new Smart Cities Framework.

Chicago is one of three U.S. cities that communications leader AT&T is including as part of its new Smart Cities Framework -- an initiative that will use Internet of Things (IoT) innovations to help develop partnerships between cities, technology leaders and tech industry organizations.

“From water system sensors to advanced analytics and energy efficiency efforts, Chicago has already taken steps to become a Smart City,” Brenna Berman, Chicago's chief information officer, said. “We are excited to team with AT&T, a leader in IoT solutions, to help us harness the power of near real-time information to create a safer, cleaner and more efficient city.”

Companies assisting AT&T with the new framework include Cisco, Deloitte, Ericsson, GE, IBM, Intel and Qualcomm Technologies Inc. Atlanta, Georgia, and Dallas, Texas, are the other cities involved in the project.

“We’ve built strong relationships with cities across the U.S. for over 100 years,” Mike Zeto, general manager of Smart Cities, AT&T IoT Solutions, said. “We’re continuing to be a leader in smart cities innovation. Our holistic strategy can help cities save money, conserve energy, improve quality of life and further engage with their citizens.”

Smart Cities will focus on programs and improvements related to infrastructure -- such as roads, bridges, buildings and parks -- citizen engagement through mobile apps, transportation and public safety.

Officials in Atlanta are excited about the Smart Cities initiative.

“Atlanta is a great city and, thanks to our collaboration with AT&T, it will soon be a smarter city,” Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said. “Improving sustainability and increasing public safety are already top priorities for the City of Atlanta. With the integration of AT&T’s Smart City solutions, we will be better positioned to support these initiatives while also enriching the lives of our residents.”

Dallas officials shared Reed's enthusiasm.

“The Dallas Innovation Alliance is thrilled to work with AT&T on its smart city initiatives for the city of Dallas,” Trey Bowles, co-founder of the Dallas Innovation Alliance (DIA), said. “The DIA was established to gather the expertise and perspectives of public, private and academic institutions. By working closely with the mayor, city manager, CIO, key nonprofit and industry leaders, we look forward to building a holistic approach to smart cities beginning in the West End Historic District in Downtown Dallas.”

Another component of Smart Cities will be a digital dashboard developed by AT&T, which will provide another method for city officials to evaluate conditions in their cities by allowing them to study conditions in real time.

More information about the developments of the Smart Cities Framework can be found online at www.att.com/iot.

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